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Leadership shake-up follows food safety crisis
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has dismissed the director of the country's flagship free school meals initiative after tens of thousands of children suffered food poisoning and corruption allegations surfaced. The programme, a cornerstone of Prabowo's 2024 election campaign, provides meals to 80 million students but has faced mounting criticism over safety lapses and financial mismanagement.
Programme plagued by health and financial woes
Since its launch in January 2025, the scheme has been linked to at least 33,000 food poisoning cases, according to the local advocacy group Network for Education Watch. The crisis escalated last week when Indonesia's anti-corruption agency flagged budget irregularities across the programme's kitchens, prompting a raid by the Attorney General's Office on Wednesday. Staff at the National Nutrition Agency were barred from entering their offices during the operation.
Controversial statements and public backlash
Outgoing director Dadan Hindayana, an entomologist, faced criticism for his handling of the programme and for remarks such as advocating daily milk consumption and proposing insects and sago worms as meal ingredients. His replacement, Nanik Sudaryati Deyang-a former journalist and Prabowo's 2024 campaign ally-lacks experience in nutrition or food safety, drawing scepticism from observers.
"What [the programme] needs right now isn't just swapping people, but a total overhaul of the concept and system. Without that, it'll just keep being a source of problems,"
X user Ahmad Arif
Financial strain and scaled-back operations
The programme's $2.5 billion annual budget has come under scrutiny as Indonesia grapples with a weakening currency and shrinking trade surpluses. Authorities recently reduced meal distribution from six to five days a week, citing financial pressures exacerbated by global conflicts, including the U.S. and Israel's war in Iran. Critics argue the initiative should be suspended entirely, while Prabowo insists it remains vital for low-income families.
"Everywhere I go, I meet ordinary people, farmers, saying, 'Sir, please don't stop the free nutritious meals programme. This really helps my grandchildren to be able to eat,'"
President Prabowo Subianto
President vows accountability amid mixed reactions
Prabowo acknowledged the programme's "many problems" in a speech last month, pledging to punish rule-breakers. However, his decision to replace Dadan with a political ally has fuelled doubts about substantive reforms. While some Indonesians support the leadership change, others view it as a superficial fix that fails to address systemic flaws.
